U.S. patent application number 13/122306 was filed with the patent office on 2011-07-28 for method and apparatus for increasing the stopping accuracy of a moving object.
This patent application is currently assigned to SIEMENS AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT. Invention is credited to Ulrich Bock, Bernhard Evers, Uwe Kaluscha, Jurgen Radloff, Karsten Rahn, Olaf Richter, Lars Schneider.
Application Number | 20110184621 13/122306 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 41361189 |
Filed Date | 2011-07-28 |
United States Patent
Application |
20110184621 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Bock; Ulrich ; et
al. |
July 28, 2011 |
METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR INCREASING THE STOPPING ACCURACY OF A
MOVING OBJECT
Abstract
A method and a device increase the stopping accuracy of a moving
object, in particular a rail vehicle, at a predetermined stopping
point. An RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) signal generated at
the stopping point is received by the object and is used as a
guidance variable for approaching the stopping point.
Inventors: |
Bock; Ulrich; (Braunschweig,
DE) ; Evers; Bernhard; (Braunschweig, DE) ;
Kaluscha; Uwe; (Helmstedt, DE) ; Radloff; Jurgen;
(Beedenbostel, DE) ; Rahn; Karsten; (Cremlingen,
DE) ; Richter; Olaf; (Berlin, DE) ; Schneider;
Lars; (Braunschweig, DE) |
Assignee: |
SIEMENS AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
MUNCHEN
DE
|
Family ID: |
41361189 |
Appl. No.: |
13/122306 |
Filed: |
September 28, 2009 |
PCT Filed: |
September 28, 2009 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/EP09/62520 |
371 Date: |
April 1, 2011 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
701/70 ;
340/10.1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G01S 13/825 20130101;
B61L 25/026 20130101; B61L 3/008 20130101; G01S 11/06 20130101;
B61L 3/125 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
701/70 ;
340/10.1 |
International
Class: |
G06F 19/00 20110101
G06F019/00; H04Q 5/22 20060101 H04Q005/22; G05D 1/00 20060101
G05D001/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Oct 9, 2008 |
DE |
10 2008 050 764.4 |
Claims
1-5. (canceled)
6. A method for increasing a stopping accuracy of a moving object
at a predetermined stopping point, the method which comprises:
receiving at the moving object an RFID (Radio-Frequency
Identification) signal produced at a side of a stopping point; and
using the RFID signal as a reference variable for approaching the
stopping point.
7. The method according to claim 6 configured for improving the
stopping accuracy of a rail vehicle.
8. The method according to claim 7, receiving the RFID signal by
the rail vehicle and generating an opening command for vehicle
doors and/or platform doors upon reaching the stopping point.
9. The method according to claim 7, which comprises: using the RFID
signal produced at the stopping point end and comprising platform
door availability data at the rail vehicle for selectively opening
the vehicle doors; and receiving an RFID signal produced at the
rail vehicle end and comprising vehicle door availability data and
train length data at the stopping point and using the signal for
selectively opening the platform doors.
10. An apparatus for carrying out the method according to claim 6,
comprising: an RFID transponder associated with the stopping point
and an RFID reader associated with the object; and a device for
determining a braking curve as a function of the received RFID
signal.
11. The method according to claim 10, wherein: said RFID
transponder associated with the stopping point is configured to
transmit platform door availability data to a vehicle door control
device; and said RFID transponder associated with the vehicle is
configured to transmit vehicle door availability data and train
length data to a platform door control device.
Description
[0001] The invention relates to a method and an apparatus for
increasing the stopping accuracy of a moving object, in particular
of a rail vehicle, at a predetermined stopping point.
[0002] The following description relates essentially to exactly
approaching the optimum stopping point for a rail vehicle in a
train station area, although the invention is not restricted to
this specific application. In fact, a number of applications are
feasible, in which any desired moving object is intended to be
brought to rest at a specific stopping point, for example a
material feed in a production process. In modern train systems, in
particular those with large numbers of passengers and/or automatic
train operation, that is to say with few or no train and platform
personnel whatsoever, it has become normal practice to protect the
passengers on the platform against the approaching train, by means
of platform doors. For this purpose, a wall provided with doors is
located at the platform edge. Dangers resulting from the
approaching train and stresses on the passengers caused by the
resultant air flow, noise, etc., can in this way be precluded or
reduced. Furthermore, this results in the capability to provide air
conditioning in the stopping point area. Once the approaching train
has come to rest exactly in front of the platform doors, the
platform doors are opened together with the vehicle doors, and are
closed again before the train departs. The stopping accuracy of the
train is of major importance in this case.
[0003] Furthermore, problems occur in the event of defective
platform doors and/or vehicle doors. This is because, with
solutions which have been adopted so far, a platform door is opened
even if the opposite vehicle door is defective, and the vehicle
door is opened even when the opposite platform door is defective.
In both cases, it is feasible for people to enter the danger area
between the train and the platform doors, and this can lead to
accidents.
[0004] It must also be remembered that trains of different train
lengths are normally used. When a short train enters, only some of
the platform doors must accordingly be operated, in order to open
them.
[0005] The stopping accuracy at the platform is normally increased
by transmission devices on the platform side, which act at a point.
These are used as position reference points, with the rail vehicle
positioning itself relative to them. These position reference
points must be defined with very high precision. However, it may
not always be possible to ensure the required precision, because of
the local circumstances. Furthermore, if the rail vehicle finds its
own position by means of trackside position reference points, for
example beacons, beacon identification difficulties can occur
because of accumulated positioning inaccuracies--drift. If an
expected beacon has not been found in the supposedly expected
window, the vehicle no longer has automatic braking curve
monitoring and the locomotive engineer has to control the vehicle
manually for the correct stopping point.
[0006] The invention is based on the object of specifying a method
and an apparatus which allow the stopping point to be approached
precisely. A further aim is for a simple capability to coordinate
available vehicle and platform doors.
[0007] According to the method, the object is achieved in that an
RFID (Radio-Frequency Identification) signal which is produced at
the stopping point end is received at the object end, and is used
as a reference variable for approaching the stopping point.
[0008] An apparatus for carrying out the method as claimed in claim
4, for this purpose has an RFID transponder which is associated
with the stopping point and an RFID reader which is associated with
the object, as well as means for determining a braking curve as a
function of the receiving RFID signal.
[0009] The RFID reader is installed at the vehicle end on a rail
vehicle, with the received information being passed on to a vehicle
appliance for evaluation. The RFID transponder associated with the
stopping point continuously produces an RFID signal, whose
propagation time to the rail vehicle is used as a reference
variable for the approach to the intended stopping point. The
vehicle appliance calculates and monitors the determined braking
curve on the basis of distance-specific and speed-specific RFID
information, with high-precision, high-availability and reliability
calculation principles being available, in contrast to conventional
beacon positioning. The RFID signal is sent continuously and
wirelessly in the form of a short-range electromagnetic
radio-frequency field, in which case the reader can also be
supplied with power. A very precise distance equivalent can be
produced from the propagation time of the RFID signal, while the
relative speed is obtained from the frequency shift resulting from
the Doppler effect.
[0010] In addition to increasing the stopping accuracy, a further
advantage over conventional systems is the capability to retrofit
vehicles and platform stopping points easily.
[0011] According to claim 2, the RFID signal received by a rail
vehicle is used, after reaching the stopping point, in order to
produce an opening command for vehicle doors and/or platform doors.
The increased stopping accuracy allows direct door operation
without the interposition of further checking routines, for example
of a visual nature.
[0012] In order to further increase safety at the platform, claim 3
additional provides that the RFID signal which is produced at the
stopping point end comprises platform door availability data and is
used at the vehicle end for selectively opening the vehicle doors,
and in that an RFID signal which is produced at the rail vehicle
end and comprises vehicle door availability data and train length
data is received at the stopping point end and is used for
selectively opening the platform doors.
[0013] According to claim 5, an apparatus is provided in which the
RFID transponder at the stopping point end is designed to transmit
platform door availability data to a vehicle door control device
and in that an RFID transponder at the vehicle end is designed to
transmit vehicle door availability data and train length data to a
platform door control device.
[0014] The following functions are carried out at the vehicle end:
[0015] Reading the state data of the individual vehicle
doors--intact/defective--from the vehicle door control device to
the RFID transponder in the vehicle, [0016] Reading the train
length from train data from a train protection system or operator
input into the RFID transponder of the vehicle, [0017] Transmission
of the RFID signal to the stopping point, [0018] Reception of the
RFID signal produced at the stopping point end, with state data for
the platform doors--intact/defective--and [0019] Generation of a
command for selectively opening the vehicle doors on the basis of
the received state data relating to the individual platform
doors.
[0020] The following functions are carried out at the stopping
point end: [0021] Reading the state data of the individual vehicle
doors--intact/defective--from the platform door control device to
the RFID transponder at the stopping point, [0022] Transmission of
the RFID signal to the vehicle, [0023] Reception of the RFID signal
produced at the vehicle end with train length data and state data
of the vehicle doors--intact/defective--and [0024] Generation of a
command for selectively opening the platform doors on the basis of
the received train length data and state data of the individual
vehicle doors.
[0025] Improved safety in the stopping point area is obtained by
this reciprocal and door-selective platform door/vehicle door
control, since no passengers can enter the danger area between the
platform door and the vehicle door, or can enter the track area in
the case of short trains.
[0026] The system can be integrated as an additional module in
existing systems. It is therefore used as a reversionary level for
existing train protection systems with continuous bidirectional
data transmission. If the original data transmission channel is not
available, then the selective door enabling can alternatively be
carried out by the RFID transmission channel described above. There
is therefore no need for the platform doors to be opened manually
by the vehicle engineer operating a pushbutton.
[0027] However, the system can also be used as a stand-alone
system, particularly when the aim is to use platform doors when no
highly automated train protection system is available. In this
case, there is likewise no need for the vehicle engineer to use a
pushbutton for operation.
[0028] Furthermore, an interface on the track side can be designed
for diagnosis systems, in which case both state data relating to
the vehicle doors and state data relating to the platform doors can
be transmitted to central diagnosis facilities.
[0029] The invention will be explained in the following text with
reference to exemplary embodiments which are illustrated in the
figures, in which:
[0030] FIG. 1 shows a system for increasing the stopping accuracy,
and
[0031] FIG. 2 shows a system for selective door opening.
[0032] FIG. 1 shows a rail vehicle 1 which is entering a platform 2
with platform doors 3. The rail vehicle 1 is normally equipped with
a vehicle appliance 4 which interacts with trackside beacons 6 via
a beacon antenna 5. The beacon information is read by the beacon
antenna 5 as it passes by, and is evaluated by the vehicle
appliance 4, for example in order to determine a braking curve.
This function is dependent on the beacon 6 being expected, and
therefore identified at all. In order to ensure that the rail
vehicle 1 comes to rest exactly at a predetermined stopping point
7, the beacon 6 must also be positioned extremely accurately.
However, the positioning of the beacon 6 is highly dependent on
local circumstances, in particular the track bed conditions, as a
result of which the achievable stopping accuracy is in some
circumstances not sufficient for the vehicle doors and platform
doors 3 to be aligned with one another. The locomotive engineer
must then manually intervene in the automatic braking process. In
the case of unmanned systems, additional complex technical systems
are required to correct the stopping position. In order to make it
possible to dispense with such additional systems and, where
appropriate, to avoid the need for action by the locomotive
engineer as well, an RFID system is provided. An RFID transponder 8
is arranged at the stopping point 7, with the electromagnetic
radio-frequency field, which is emitted continuously by the RFID
transponder 8, being identified by an RFID reader 9 on the rail
vehicle 1 as it approaches the stopping point 7. This RFID system
uses propagation time measurement to determine position and speed
with high accuracy. In consequence, the remaining distance to the
stopping point 7 is known. The received RFID signal is passed on to
the vehicle appliance 4, where it is used to calculate and monitor
an optimum braking curve as a function of the instantaneous
speed.
[0033] FIG. 2 illustrates a configuration which is additionally
designed to selectively open the platform doors 3 and--not
illustrated--vehicle doors. For this purpose, as an extension to
FIG. 1, bidirectional RFID signal transmission is provided between
the rail vehicle 1 and the stopping point 7. The rail vehicle 1 is
also equipped with an RFID transponder 10, which interacts with an
RFID reader 11 at the stopping point end. Vehicle door availability
data and train length data produced by a vehicle door control
device 12 are transmitted via this data link to a platform door
control device 13 at the stopping point end. For example, when a
short train enters or a vehicle door is defective and cannot be
opened, the platform door control device 13 also does not open the
platform door associated with this alignment. Analogously, platform
door availability data is transmitted to the vehicle door control
device 12 with the aid of the RFID signal in the opposite
direction, that is to say from the stopping point 7 to the rail
vehicle 1, ensuring that the only vehicle doors which are opened at
the stopping point 7 are those which are associated with
serviceable platform doors 3.
[0034] As a modification to the described embodiment, the RFID
reader 11 and the RFID transponder 8 at the stopping point end can
be arranged at a distance from the stopping point 7. This always
results in unambiguous range measurement, even for the situation
when the stopping point 7 is driven over.
* * * * *